Finder for cameras provided with objectives of different foci



Feb. 14, 1933.

FINDER FOR CAMERAS PROVIDED WITH OBJECTIVES OFDIFFERENT FOCI Filed July 25. 1932 A. N. MERLEW 1,897,268

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Andre Nol Merle.

INVENTOR Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANDRE NOEL MERLE, OF VINCENNES, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO PATHE CINEMA,

enemas manmssnmnnrs ra'rrm couranr TRERES, OF PARIS, FRANCE, A FRENCH FINDER FOR CAMERAS PROVIDED WITH OBJECTIVES OF DIFFERENT FCCI Application filed July 25, 1932, Serial No. 624,525, and in France September 24, 1931.

At the present time, with the finders for cameras which consist of a sighting glass whose field corresponds to the field of the camera objective, the use of objectives of different, foci makes it necessary either to mark upon the front lens of the finder a certain number of rectangles limiting the fields corresponding to the different objectives, or, by the use of covering pieces with rectangular apertures applied upon the front lens, to limit or mark out these different fields by reducing the opening of this lens.

' The first of these methods has an advantage over the second, consisting in the fact that in the case of objectives of long focus, it leaves around the field which it determines for such objectives, a regionof a sufficient extent which is visible to the operator, who can thus operate more readily when selecting a subject by means of the finder,

It has however a drawback, which is not found in the second method, consisting in the fact that the limits of the field do not appear distinctly to the operators eye, as he is unable to accommodate the eye upon the subject in the field and upon the front lens of the finder at the same time.

The present invention relates to a finder for cameras provided with objectives of different foci, which is chiefly characterized by the fact that the front lens of the finder comprises two or more regions limited by homothetic rectangles havln a common centre, which regions have di erent colours. The aggregate of the field of the finder corresponds to the field of the objective having the shortest focus, the intermediate regions correspond to the fields of the intermediate objectives, and the free or white central region corresponds to the field of the objective havin the longest focus.

iurther characteristics of the invention will be set forth in the following descri tion.

In the accompanyin drawing which is given by way of examp e:

Figul is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of the finder, and

Fig. 2 is a corresponding crow-section;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section representing two coloured surfaces of a lens, and

lens 1, situated at the front and Fig. 4 is a corresponding plan view;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section showing four coloured surfaces of a lens;

Fig. 6 is an analogous view relating to three coloured surfaces;

Figs. 7 and 8 show cut-out rectangles with the use of several colours.

According to the form of construction herein represented, the finder essentially comprises in the known manner, a divergent having the function of an objective, lens 2 situated at the rear and having the function of an eye-piece.

According to the invention, the surface of the lens 1 is divided into two rectangles 3 and 4 which are homothetic and have a common centre, marking out two regions of different colours.

In order to obtain such regions, there is and a convergent cut out, for instance in coloured acetate of cellulose, a rectangle having the form and dimensions of the divergent lens of the finder. At the. centre of this rectangle is cut out a rectangle corresponding to the rectangle of Figure 3. This afiords apiece of the acetate substance which is placed against the front glass of the finder and is maintained by the frame of the latter.

The observer, when looking into thisfinder, perceives two different regions: at the corresponding to that of the two objectives which has the shorter focus.

The rectangle 4 corresponds to the field of the objective having the long focus. The surface comprised between the rectangles 3 and 4 is coloured pink, for instance, whilst the one situated in the interior of the rectangle 4 is not coloured.

This difference in the colour permits, without useless fatigue, and with the use of an objective of long focus, to instantly observe the field pertaining to the objective utilized, as the eye may accommodate itself to the subject to be taken by cinematography without ceasing to perceive the limits of this field. On the other hand, as the region comprised between the rectangles 3 and 4 leaves visible to the operator a considerable region around the field corresponding to theobjective oflong focus, this permits to readily locate in the finder the subject sought for by the operator employing this objective. I In the arrangement shown in Fig. '5, the front lens of the finder is adapted for use with a motor-camera provided with four objectives having different foci.

- The rectangle 5 corresponds to the field of the objective having the shortest focus, the rectangle 8 to the field of the objective having the longest focus and the rectangles 6 and 7 to the elds of the objectives having the intermediate foci. These rectangles are all in homothetic disposition, and the centre of such disposition is the common centre. of the rectangles. Y a

As the colour of the regions limited by these rectangles is different for each rec tangle, this affords, for instance, a red colour between the rectangles 8 and 7, a yellow colour between the rectangles 7 and 6, and a green colour between the rectangles 6 and 5. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 6, the lens is adapted for a camera provided with three objectives having different foci, the

- rectangles 9, 10 and 11 having the same relations as above mentioned and the same limitation of the colours.

40 In this case, there are cut out two rectangles of acetate of cellulose material having the shape and size of the rectangle9, one of which is coloured blue and the other red.

' The one which is coloured blue is apertured at the centre by a rectangle 14 which is identical with the rectangle 11, and the one coloured yellow is apertured by a rectangle 12 identical with the rectangle 10. The'rectangles 13 and 15 are identical with the rectangle 9. This affords two pieces of acetate material, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, which when applied to )the divergent lens of the finder will give three different regions formed by the cellulose material.

The region of the centre is not coloured.

The region comprised between the rectangles 11 and 10 will be blue and the region comprised between the rectangles 10 and 9 will have a colour resulting from the superposition of the yellow and the blue.

- It is obviously feasible to constitute the four regions of the example shown in Figure 5 in a manner analogous to what hasbeen above'indicated. j Obviously, the invention is in no wise limited to the method of execution herein described and represented, this being given solely by way of example. Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a camera, in combination a plurality of objectives of different foci, a finder, means for forming in the field of said finder a humber of coaxial figures equal to the number of objectives, said figures limiting in the finder regions corresponding to the fieldsof the difierent objectives, and means for imparting different transparent colours to the spaces comprised between each two consecutive figures.

2. In a camera, in combination a number of objectives of different foci, a finder, and a same number of transparent frames differently coloured interposed in the field of the finder and having central apertures limiting in the finder regions corresponding to the fields of the different objectives.

3. In a camera, in combination a number of objectives of different foci,afinder comprising a front lens and an eye-piece, and a same number of transparent frames differently coloured applied on said front lens and having central apertures limiting in the finder regions corresponding to the fields of the 9 different objectives.

4. In a camera, incombination a number of objectives of different foci, a finder and a same number of transparent frames differently coloured of acetate of cellulose interposed in the field of the finder and having central apertures limiting in the finder regions corresponding to the fields of the different ob jectives.

5. In a camera, in combination, a number of objectives of different foci, a finder comprising a front lens and an eye-piece, and a same number of transparent frames differently coloured interposed in the field of the finder and having central apertures homothetic and coaxial with the outline of said front lens and limiting in the finder regions corresponding to the fields of the different objectives.

In testimony whereof I have signed m name to this specification.

ANDRE NOEL MERLE. 

